The Intruder
by Unicorn20023
Summary: This is an Alternate Universe (AU), where Hermione Malfoy is held hostage in her home by an unlikely foe, in which her husband and friends who are on the police task force come to her aid and try to get her out alive. One-shot. Might add more, not sure?


This is an Alternate Universe (AU), where Hermione Malfoy is held hostage in her home by an unlikely foe, in which her husband and friends who are on the police task force come to her aid.

0-0

Hermione stood at the sink, leaning on it for support as she filled a glass with water. Just as she was about to raise the glass, two strong arms curled around her waist from behind. She could feel his breath tickling her neck and ear.

"Ready to go?" She asks, taking a sip of water.

"Ready." He confirms, whispering into her ear, causing her to shiver. "Thanks for making me lunch." He continues, as he walks over to the dining room table, picking up his bag and lunch.

She turns, still clutching the sink behind her. "Bloody eat it this time!"

"I will- " He smiles, turning to her, stopping when he looks at her. He notices her vice like grip on the sink and her chalk white face, and starts towards her. "Hey, are you okay?"

She waves her hands in front of her, dismissing his concern. "I'm fine, Draco."

When he reaches her, he holds her shoulders and stares intently at her face. "Lies."

'Ugh, I hate it that he can read me so well.' "I'm just a little light headed, that's all."

"I can call in wor- " He starts.

"No need." She smiles up at him, before burying her head in his chest and wrapping her arms around his torso. "I'll be fine. Plus, I'm sure there'll be some crimes to solve and they'll need you, you are the best after all." She laughs.

"I couldn't agree more, I'm obviously the best. Wait till I tell Harry and Blaise you said that though." He smirks.

She laughs. "They'll get over it."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" He asks.

"Yes, yes." She smiles against him.

"Go to bed and rest." He orders, squeezing her.

"I will." She smiles at his concernedness.

"Promise?" He asks.

"Promise." She says.

"Good." He smiles and releases her from his hold. "I'll phone you later to check in."

"Okay, I'll be waiting." She smiles up at him. "Bye."

He grins and dips his head down, kissing her gently. "Bye." He whispers against her lips, grinning like an idiot.

She pushes his chest playfully and laughs. "Hurry up and go already! You're going to be late!"

"Tuff, they'll just have to wait. You're worth it." He smiles, walking for the door. He looks back over his shoulder as he opens it. "Bed."

"I'm going, I'm going." She giggles, heading in his direction to the stairs located opposite the door.

"I love you!" He shouts, closing the door.

"I love you-" By the time she even notices, he's already away. "too."

She smiles, walking up the stairs, holding onto the banister tightly with each step. Her eyes widen and she shoots up the remaining stairs. 'Toilet!' She rushes to the bathroom door, throwing it open and collapsing to her knees at the toilet. She hadn't even ate anything since last night yet she was sick. 'Ugh, I've caught Ginny's bug.'

She drags her feet to the bedroom, she only just made it before she dropped onto the bed, pulling the covers over her and falling asleep. She woke up abruptly, to a strange, out of place noise. She was surprised that she got worried so easily, but put it off as her being ill. She closes her eyes again, still exhausted, ignoring the sound. 'Probably just a bird outside or something.'

However, she shot up in bed not a minute later, after another noise sounded quietly through the house. She couldn't shake her worry this time, the noise was definitely coming from inside the house, down the stairs. She was home alone and Draco had only left about 3 hours ago (she realised looking at her clock) and so he wouldn't be home yet.

Draco was certainly rubbing off on her as her inner cop-ness sprang to the surface. She stood from the bed, she didn't feel as sick anymore and made her way over to the door. She silenty made her way across the hall to the stairs and then crept down them, staying alert. She jumped when another sound came from the living room and slowly turned the corner at the bottom of the stairs. The living room door was slightly ajar but she remembered clearly that she had left it open. She had to know what was going on. Wearily, she walked slowly to the door and peeked through the gap. The sight that met her eyes made her gasp. 'Ron?!' There, in her living room, stood the man she wished to never see again. Her ex, Ron Weasley. Might I add, criminal.

Forgetting she had gasped by accident, Ron looked up, grinning evilly when he spotted her.

"Found you." He says, menacingly. She squeaks, turning to bolt as he shoots right for her.

Before she can get far, Ron catches her by the hair and tugs her back into the living room, tossing her to the floor as he slams the door.

Hermione's mind was whirling 1000 miles per hour. "Why are you here?"

"To see you, of course." He grins, kneeling down and stroking her cheek. She pulls away, turning her head, earning a sadistic laugh from the man. "Still feisty, I see."

"Still insane, I see." She counters. At this, he turns serious and in a swift motion, has her pinned beneath him to the floor.

"I've been on the run for years and you get to settle down and get married to that repulsive Malfoy!" He barks out. "You should be with me!"

She flinches, she was no stranger to this behaviour of his but the fact that it has been years made her more scared.

"We're going to have lots of fun." Ron grins, his weight crushing her as his grip on her wrists tightens. "Make up for lost time."

0-0

"You should eat your lunch while you can, Draco." Dean Thomas, Draco's partner, says. "It's not everyday that we get a decent lunch break."

"Yeah, Hermione will kill me if I don't." Draco laughs. The two were currently driving back to headquarters from a call, with Dean driving.

"Speaking of Hermione, how is she?" Dean asks his friend and partner. Because Dean was his partner, it meant that he had became a close friend and was worried about Hermione. Draco had told him how she had been acting odd lately.

"She didn't look too good this morning, but she protested when I said I would call in work." Draco sighs.

"Poor Hermione." Dean says, before he can say more, Draco speaks.

"I told her I'd check in, do you mind?" Draco asks.

"Of course not, go ahead." Dean smiles, he understood that Draco was worried.

"Thanks, mate." Draco says, whipping his phone out and calling her.

"Tell her I'm asking for her." Dean says.

After a couple of seconds, Dean glances at Draco and notices his frown as he lowers the phone and clicks it. "I would, but she didn't answer."

"Oh."

"She's probably still sleeping, I told her to rest."

"Yeah, she'll phone you back later."

"Yeah."

0-0

Ron still had her pinned to the floor, squeezing her wrists tighter by the minute. He was really creeping her out, all he had done was stare at her with a disgusting grin.

"It's rude to stare." Hermione snarls.

"Not in this case." He counters. "It's only natural to stare when something is this beautiful."

"Ughh, you make me sick."

"Why thank you."

"It wasn't a compliment, idiot."

Just as he was about to answer, a noise sounded throughout the house. It was her phone, and she knew it was Draco by the assigned ring tone. Relief washed over her as she realised he had remembered he said he would phone to check in. However, Ron ignored it.

"He'll know something's wrong if I don't answer." Hermione says, only hoping that her words were true. On one hand, she may be able to alert him through their phone call, if Ron lets her answer that is, and if he doesn't then she can only hope that he does notice. Listening to the phone stop was antagonizing.

"I'm sure lover boy will live. He probably won't even notice." He laughs. Seems she'll just need to rely on Draco noticing in the meantime. Although, now she knows where her phone is, while he doesn't know specifically.

0-0

Upon entering the building, Draco and Dean were swarmed by Harry, Neville, Seamus and Cho. All wore determined expressions.

"Blaise wants you." Cho says.

"Why?" Draco asks, curiously.

"Trust me, you'll want to hear this." Harry says.

The six headed in the direction of Blaise's office and when they entered, they caught the gaze of his serious expression, along with his partners, Cedric Diggory.

"Blaise, what's the meaning of this?" Draco asks.

"Take a seat." Is all Blaise replies. They all do so and then sit expectantly.

"So, you know how we're on the Weasley case?" Cedric inquires.

"Yes." The six nod.

"Well, he's back." Blaise states.

"What?!"

0-0

Ron had took to stoking her face, with his head buried in her neck. He had even tried kissing her a couple of times on the lips. She was utterly disgusted. She decided waiting would take too long and she wasn't sure she could be able to hold out. She had began feeling sick and light headed every so often again. Her phone was sitting on her bedside cabinet, locked. All she had to do was get to it before Ron could catch her. She was jerked out of her planning when she felt his lips on her neck. That was the final straw. She kicked him where the sun doesn't shine, winding him and bolted up the stairs and grabbing her phone, speed dialing.

0-0

"We caught a new lead and turns out that he's actually been pretty active the past couple of days." Blaise explains.

"Why now?" Draco asks.

"And why after all this time?" Dean adds.

"Why resurface now and start slipping up?" Harry speaks up.

"We're not sure." Cedric says.

"But," Blaise drags the but out. "We're waiting for Daphne to have some idea."

"She's working her magic with the computer." Cedric says. As if on cue Theo came bursting into the office.

"Daphne's got something!" And with that, he rushes out the room with the others following close behind. Once they've reached the small room, they all see Daphne turn around.

"A-a 999 phone call came in from the area Weasley was sighted in last. Astoria sent it from the centre, she says it's urgent that we listen." Daphne rushes out. "Are you ready?"

"Go ahead." Blaise gives the order. She nods and then clicks the recording Astoria had sent her.

 _"999, what's your emergency?" A woman's tender voice asks._

 _"I need help!" Came Hermione's voice._

 _"What's happening ma'am?" The voice asks, a little firmer, needing details._

 _Hermione's loud gasp sounded. There were stamping sounds and clattering noises. "GET DRACO MALFOY!" Hermione's shout resonated with panic, she had rushed the 3 words out._

 _"Ma'am, what's your address so I can send help?" The woman asks, there was slight panic in her voice and an urgency._

 _The only reply the woman received was the muffling of the phone dropping to the ground and Hermione's excruciating scream sounding out loud._

 _"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR HIS NAME!" Ron's angered voice shouts as another of Hermione's screams is heard before the phone cuts off._

 _"M-ma'am?!"_

Daphne shakes her head as if ridding herself of thoughts and then clicks to stop the recording. There was continuous mumbling, except from Draco who stood silent.

"What are we going to do?"

"At least we know where he is."

"He better not have hurt Hermione."

"Oh no, poor Hermione."

"I hope she's okay."

"We need to do something."

"This wasn't what I was hoping for."

The rambling stopped as they all realised Draco hadn't said a word. Suddenly, Draco's whole demeanour changes.

"HE'S IN MY HOUSE?!" Draco bursts, as if it had just registered. "HOLDING MY WIFE HOSTAGE?!"

Before he could go anywhere, his best friend grabbed him. "Draco, you need to calm down." Blaise says, holding his shoulder with a solemn look. "I know it's easier said than done but you have to for her."

"Blaise is right, Draco." Harry speaks up, Draco had also became one of the mans close friends since all of this.

"Besides, if Hermione finds out you did something stupid, she would definitely batter you." Dean laughs, trying to lighten up the mood.

"Yeah, you know what she's like. She's the toughest out of all of us." Cho adds.

"Yeah, your wife sure is something." Theo mutters, remembering back to the time Hermione had punched him in the face by accident when she had thought he was an intruder. This caused them all to laugh, even Draco.

"Yeah, she's pretty amazing." He smiles. All the others just stared at him, smiling back. They all shared a common thought. 'This guy is so whipped.'

"So, what's the plan?"

0-0

Hermione woke up, disorientated. Her eyes were blurry but they began to adjust, and when they did, she was horrified. She found herself in the living room, lying on the floor, hands cuffed. 'Draco's emergency cuffs?' She suddenly became disgusted with the thought as she realised that Ron must have snooped in their bedroom, as the cuffs were previously hidden in his drawer. She brought her hands up to her cheek, it was stinging violently from where Ron had slapped her and then punched her. 'Ron.' The thought was like venom. She pushed herself up and scanned the room. She spotted him out the living room door, in the hall closing windows. She stood up and caught a glimpse of herself in the large mirror. Her eye was swollen and her cheek was bright red, purple bruising already appearing. Her attention was caught when Ron stomped into the room, closing the door.

"Play nice and I won't be forced to do that." Ron says, stroking her face where he hit her.

"Yeah right." She hisses, pulling back.

Ron grabs her chin and she stumbles towards him. He closes his eyes, going in for a kiss. She is absolutely disgusted but very quickly her disgust is replaced with her sickness. She pushes him with as much energy she can muster, which isn't much, but it gets the message through as he pulls back.

"Don't you dare resist m-" He starts angrily, before she cuts him off.

"I need to go to the toilet." She says.

He looks at her, not buying it. "You're just making up excuses!"

"I'm going to be sick." She barely manages out, her two cuffed hands covering her mouth.

"Don't be so rude!" Ron exclaims, before looking at her disheveled state. Realisation hits him and his voice comes out as a whisper. "You're being serious."

She doesn't answer, instead she darts out the room, up the stairs and straight to the bathroom with Ron following behind. She is immediately sick, burning sensations hitting her as though her organs are going to be thrown up next. Ron holds her hair back and she is glad that she stops throwing up at that instance as she swats his hand away with her two cuffed ones. 'That should be Draco.'

He frowns, looking at her pale face. "Let's get you to bed."

Sudden panic hits her, Ron might try some funny business and she doesn't know how well she'd fair with her current state. "No, I'm fine."

"Her-"

"I want to go down the stairs." She says, this way she'd be closer to the door.

"Only if you're sure."

"I'm sure."

"Okay." He takes her hands and leads her down the stairs, she resists all the while. Upon reaching the living room, he sits her down on the couch and just before his bum reaches the pillow next to her, he freezes. Loud sirens bellow from outside, alerting the two of their presence. Hermione gasps, then smiles whereas, Ron growls and heads to one of the uncovered windows, drawing back the curtain slightly to peek out. He growls again, indicating he doesn't like what he's seeing. She paled, she was in trouble now. Through the small gap above his head from where he was looking out, she could see police trucks, cars, vans, the whole lot.

Turning back to her, Ron's glare was piercing as he shouts at her. "This is your fault!"

"So what?" She asks.

"This is not the time to have attitude with me!" He shouts, stomping over and grabbing her face.

"It's always the time." She glares, trying to keep him busy to buy the guys outside time to act, before Ron does something stupid.

Although, her plan crumbled quickly as Ron merely pushed her hard to the ground, causing her to hit her head leaving a throbbing pain and blood. She watched him through bleary eyes, he marched back and forth, every so often opening the curtain, giving her a blurry glimpse of outside. Her heart raced, spotting 2 guns and knives on the table. She felt safer knowing that her friends were there, she could never mistake the bodies of Harry and Blaise as they were like family. She also managed to spot her close friends Cedric, Cho, Seamus and Neville. The one person that nearly made her heart stop was the sight of Dean, Draco's partner and her very close friend. She hadn't spotted him, but she knew he was here. 'Draco' The thought of his name was enough to spark enough courage and strength to move and do something. However, before she could push herself up, her phone started buzzing. Ron must have brought it down with him earlier. She watched it light up, through the door, on the table in the hall beneath the window Ron was looking through. It caught his attention immediately, yet he ignored it. It rang out. It called it again, he ignored it, it rang out. It rang again.

"Jeez, you have really persistent friends, Hermione." He grunts, picking up the phone. "This better be worth it."

Hermione watched with anticipation, she could only hope that it was them as she had guessed. She watched Ron every second, his eyes widened. 'It must be them.'

0-0

"He blatantly refuses to answer!" Daphne exclaims, furiously. "He's ignored twice!"

"Call again." Draco demands, getting frustrated. "Please."

After having scoped the area, the team of 10 found themselves tucked away in the back of a van. Daphne was sitting at a computer in the corner, phone in hand, with the others either sitting at the small table or surrounding her. Draco being one of the ones leaning over her, as was Theo. She smiled at her concerned friend, she understood some of what he was going through as Hermione was one of her friends. Calling again, she set the phone on the desk in front of the computer, putting it on loud speaker for all to hear.

As the phone stopped ringing, their voices caught as they heard the end of a sentence. 'Worth it.'

"Ronald Weasley." Blaise spoke, coming behind Daphne and silencing Draco.

'Who are you?'

"Blaise Zabini," He replies, his voice scarily calm. Draco just stared in silence, he knew to trust Blaise. If he made himself known, Ron could react. "Surely you remember me."

'How could I forget?' His voice sarcastic.

"Is Hermione with you?" Blaise asks, trying to get as much detail as he can.

'Yes.' He states, shortly.

"Is she hurt?"

'...No' The hesitation gave away that something was off. Low growls sounded from them.

"In that case, I would like to speak to her." The team all sat quietly, not making a sound.

'I told you she was alright, didn't I?!' His voice raising.

"And I told you, I wish to speak to her." Blaise says, firmly.

'Fine!' They could hear shuffling. Followed by distant voices, one easier to hear than the other.

0-0

"Some idiot wants to talk to you." Ron says, looking miff. She raised herself into a sitting position from the ground, taking the phone and putting it to her ear. Before anything could be said however, Ron cut in.

"Put it on loud speaker." He demands, harshly.

"Loud speaker doesn't work." She says, quietly, the phone still at her ear.

"Just don't try anything funny again." He growls, sitting on the couch in front of her. "I can still hear you, understand?"

"Y-yes." She says, his expression boring hers.

'Hermione?' Came Blaise's voice.

Her heart slowed, gaining comfort from his voice. 'It was them.' "Blaise."

She could hear many loud sighs of relief from the other end of the phone. 'That was good covering up with the loud speaker.'

"Thanks." She says. "I-is-"

'Hermione, I'm here.' It was her turn to sigh with relief. Her heart had truly calmed down now. 'We're all here, love.'

'Harry, Dean, Cho, Seamus, Neville, Cedric, Theo and Daphne, too.' Blaise says, answering her silent question so she wouldn't need to ask it.

"I'm glad." She smiles.

'Are you hurt?' Harry questions before Draco.

"I'll be alright.' She says, side stepping the question.

'Hermione, that's not what-' Draco starts, but she cuts him off.

"What's for dinner? That's a weird question, Harry." Hermione says, coolly, using Harry's name so she doesn't set Ron off. Her eyes flicker to him, only to find that he's listening to her every word as she thought. His eyebrows raised and she just shrugs in response.

'What are you-' Daphne starts.

'Shhh!' Draco is quick to hush the woman.

"Well, I was thinking of cooking the two hams that were sitting on the hall table along with the large amount of potatoes." She says, as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. Ron didn't suspect a thing. "That sound good?"

'Got it.' Draco tells her softly.

"Great." She smiles, glad to know he understands.

'Anything else, love?' Draco questions, needing to know all the details.

"We could watch some tv." Hermione says, sweetly. She watched as Ron was shifting and knew she had to be quick with details. "Oh, you know how cuffed I can get watching tv."

"Right, times up." Ron says, reaching for the phone.

'Hermione!' Startled and panicked voices shout from the other end.

"I love you." She whispers.

'I love-' Ron grabbed the phone, bringing it up to his ear.

"Satisfied?" He grumbles. Before he gets an answer he mumbles goodbye and hangs up. Ron and Hermione alone again, with his gaze frightening her.

0-0

"He hung up." Daphne says, sadly. Theo rubs her back as a sign of comfort.

"What was that all about, Draco?" Cedric asks.

"You made a code with her, didn't you?" Dean smiles, knowing his partner all too well.

Draco snorts in response. "Of course I did."

"You're not as stupid as you look." Blaise jokes.

"Hey!-"

"Moving on." Cho pushes.

"Two hams on the hall table means two guns on the hall table. The large amount of potatoes means a lot of knives and such." Draco explains, filling the gaps. "Watch tv...must mean she's in the living room."

"Awesome! We have some info!" Seamus says.

Draco sat down at the small table, he seemed to be deep in thought. The rest just watched him intently, so it came as a surprise to them when his fist came crashing down loudly on the table. They flinch, gazing at him.

"What is it?" Neville asks.

Draco mumbles before answering. "When she was talking about the tv, she mentioned being cuffed." Draco growls, his fists tightening. "That damn man has been in our bedroom, taken my emergency handcuffs and cuffed her!"

Again, mumbles and grumbles sounded through the van, each person muttering a threat.

"Well, we've got something to work with now." Harry says, trying to get back on subject.

"Yeah, at least we can do something now." Cho agrees, everyone nodding.

0-0

"Nice try." Ron scowls at Hermione on the floor.

"What?" She asks, innocently.

"I know you're up to something." He says, kneeling down to her level.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She replies, simply.

"Don't lie." He says, grabbing her chin and making her look at him.

"I'm not." She growls.

"Don't growl at me either." He growls back.

"Hypocrite." She retorts, trying to keep him distracted.

"Know it all."

"Psychopath."

"Too far."

"Not really."

"Aww, look, we're arguing like an old married couple." Ron grins, twistedly. "Like we soon will be."

"What are you on about?" She asks.

"We're getting married of course." He smiles.

"Would I hell marry you, never in a million years!" She shouts, disgusted with this idea.

"Now, now." He smiles and before she can do anything, he kisses her. She tries to fight him off but in her condition, it was incredibly difficult. The feeling felt foreign and she hated and fought every moment of it until he let go. "See?"

"You disgust me!" She says, venom dripping from her voice.

"I love you." He says, ignoring her comments.

"I hate you!" She spits out.

"You don't mean that." He says.

"Oh, trust me, I do." She growls. "I hate you, I wish you never came back! I was happy when you were gone!"

"Enough!" He shouts, hitting her in the face and standing up, bringing her up with him as he pulls her up by the handcuffs. He pins her up against the wall, glaring at her. "You're going to learn that this will work. You're going to learn some manners and have a better attitude."

The way he had her cornered and the way he spoke really frightened her, not to mention that he had hurt her physically and emotionally along with the sickness she has. She realised that she was closes to the living door, like really close. Panic took over her and she suddenly acted without thinking. Kicking him, she barged past his fallen form and made a run for the door. Once she was out, she ran straight to the door that would lead her outside to safety. She could hear him shouting but she wasn't sure what he was shouting as all her senses seemed to be clouded. She felt the familiar coolness of the door handle and immediately pulled it. She flung the door open and stepped out, the light of outside burning her eyes. she heard shouts and could make out figures and shapes but her eyes were incredibly blurry. Just as she was about to run to get away, someone pulled her back.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ron demands, putting his arm around her neck and holding a gun to her head.

"Hold it!" She heard the shout of Blaise telling his men to stop. That's when her vision came back into focus to reveal a large amount of officers, including swat, pointing their guns their way, surrounding them. She spotted Blaise, Cedric, Harry, Seamus, Cho, Neville, Theo, Daphne, Dean and Draco near the front, their guns aimed as well. Her heart tugged at the sight.

"Well, well." Ron says, voice laced with hatred. "Look who we have here."

"Drop the gun, Weasley." Cedric commands.

"Not a chance." Ron says, then looks at Draco. "It's all your fault!"

"Get that gun away from her head." Draco snarls. "Right now."

"I don't think so, Malfoy." He replies, pushing the gun firmer against Hermione's head and tightening his grip around her neck, evoking a whimper from her.

"Weasley!" Blaise shouts, as they start moving in again.

"Come any closer and I'll kill them!"

Everyone immediately stopped, but there was also another question. 'Them?' but brushed it off as a slip up. Hermione's face paled and her first thought was 'There's no denying it now if even he's noticed'.

"There's no need for that." Harry says.

"Oh, look, it's my old friend." Ron glares.

"You're no friend of mine." Harry says, brusquely.

"Oh, how harsh." Ron says, before becoming deadly serious. "Now, you're going to let me and Hermione back into the house or I'll kill her instead of hurting her."

Looks of anger crossed all of their faces.

"Draco." Hermione whimpers, as she looks at them, tears whelming up in her eyes.

"It'll be alright, love." Draco replies, his voice close to a whisper.

"Disgusting!" Ron says. "Lucky you get second chances, eh Hermione?"

Her reply come out as a tear slipping down her face. He started backing away to the door of the house with her. Hermione's frightened eyes locked on her friends, more specifically Draco. They didn't know what to do. They couldn't shoot at him without hitting Hermione as he used her as a shield and they couldn't risk Hermione's safety of not listening to his demands. They got closer and closer to the door in no time, although, it felt like a lifetime to Hermione.

"I love you." Hermione whispers to Draco, as she was tugged up the step of the door.

"I love-" Draco starts as Ron slams the door. Every time he got to saying it back, that ginger man got in the way. He walked past her to look out the window. As he pulled back the blinds, gun still in hand, Hermione noticed the knives inches from her. The other gun was gone and she figured he had it too. Feeling desperate to take her chance at his distraction, she grabbed the biggest and meanest looking knife and held it firmly in her cuffed hands just as he turned to look at her.

"Too little, too late." She says, luging at him as he raises his gun. She plunged the knife into his chest, just as a long BANG resonated through out. He seemed stunned as he fell to the ground. Time began again at a normal pace and Hermione dropped to the ground. She heard the door being bashed in and panicked voices. Everything seemed muffled and her senses dulled again. She found herself stuggling to keep her drooping eyes open.

"We need they paramedic's, now!" She heard Blaise's voice shout.

"What happened?" Came Harry's worried voice.

"Weasley shot her!" Came a reply from Dean.

Suddenly, everything made sense and she understood why she felt unbearable pain and a throbbing sensation. Through her bleary eyes, she saw blonde hair rush to her and at that moment she felt safe as two familiar arm wound themselves around her.

"Hermione?" Draco asks, panicked. He lay her head in his lap and held her hand while the other caressed her face. She wanted more than anything to reply but no words would leave her mouth, maybe it had something to do with the warm metallic taste, running down her chin from her mouth. Her eyes were still open but the world before her became blurry. Draco's voice broke with every word. "Stay with me, love."

A tear rolled down each cheek, it pained him more than anything that she wouldn't reply to him. That she couldn't reassure him, no matter how much of a lie it would be. She wanted nothing more than to tell him that she loved him. Her eye's slowly slipped shut and the world began to fade. She still had to tell him about the news...

"Please." Was the last thing she heard from Draco and his tears on her face were the last things she felt.

0-0

When she woke, the brightness from a light burned her eyes, causing her to screw her eyes up. She felt incredibly weak and every inch of her body ached.

"Hermione?" A voice calls softly.

She turns to see Dean, sitting in one of the two seats set up beside her bed. 'Wait' Everything came flooding back in a matter of seconds and she soon realised that she was in a hospital room.

"W-what happened?" She questions quietly, her voice sounding like a croak.

"What do you remember?" He asks, pulling his chair closer to her bed.

"I-I seen the knives on the table while he was distracted a-and I stabbed him." She answers shakily.

"He shot you in the side and you had to have two surgeries." Dean tells her, then smiles softly. "Draco's just away to get some water, he should be back any minute, don't worry."

She let a sigh escape her lips. Then a thought hit her like a tidal wave. "What about-?"

"Fine," Dean cuts in and reassures her. "Doc's checked it out."

Another sigh of relief was released.

"Congratulations." Dean smiles.

"Thank you." She tries a smiles but it ends up in a grimace of pain.

"Try not to move, you've been through a lot." Dean says, sitting back in his seat. He laughs lightly. "I would suggest sleep but you've already did a lot of that."

"How long have I been out?"

"About a week and a half." He says, looking solemn. "Everyone was worried and at one point we didn't know if you'd ever wake up. We've been taking shifts to stay with you and making sure Draco eats and drinks."

She smiles. "Thank you, Dean."

"No problem." He smiles back.

Her head sinks further in the pillow and for a second there was silence until a thought hit like barbed wire.

"I'I'm a murderer." She whispers, wide eyes and tears forming.

"No, Hermione! You're not!" Dean says, panicked.

Before she could stop it she had a breakdown and at that moment Draco walked in with the jug of water and cups. At the sight of seeing her awake never mind in tears was enough for Draco to let the objects slip from his grasp and hit the floor.

"I-I am! I'm a murderer!" She cries, covering her face with her hands.

"Hermione!" Draco shouts, rushing over to her.

"Draco?" Hermione sniffles, slowly peeling her hands from her face.

"Oh, thank goodness!" He sighs, sitting on her bed and hugging her. "You're awake!"

When he pulls back, he notices her dishevelled state and brushes a strand of hair from her ear and pushes it behind her ear. Without a second thought, he puts his hands on the sides of her face, weary of the bruises and places his forehead on hers.

"You're not a murderer, Hermione." He whispers, gently.

"But- but-" She hiccups.

"You didn't kill him," Draco says. "I did."

At that she wraps her arms around Draco and pulls him into a tight hug. Draco caught the look of Dean who was getting up to leave to give them some privacy. He was giving him the 'What are you doing?' look. All Draco did was out a finger to his lips, telling him to keep quiet.

Truth is, the stab wound he received from Hermione was not fatal under normal circumstances but Ron was already dying and so the stab wound ended his life a few months or so early. There was no way in hell that Draco was going to let Hermione know that, though. He vowed to protect her from it.

"I thought I lost you." Draco whispers, burying his face in her neck.

"For a moment, I was scared that I was too." Hermione admits, weaving a hand through his hair.

"Please tell me you don't have any other crazy ex's?" Draco asks, with a playful expression as he pulls back to look at her.

"None, don't worry." She laughs lightly but ends up coughing.

"Take it easy." Draco says, lying her down again. "It's late, get some sleep-sleep."

"Will you stay with me?" She asks.

"Of course I will." He reassures her, as he lies in the bed beside her.

"There's something I need to tell you." She whispers after a moment.

"What is it?" He asks, curiously.

She's silent for a moment before she works up the courage. "I'm pregnant."

Even in the dark she could see his expression change and his face brighten up. "I'm going to be a dad?" He asks, like an over excited kid.

"Yip." She giggles.

"I can't wait." He smiles against her forehead before kissing it and then wrapping an arm around her waist and the other under her head, round her shoulders.

"Me neither." She smiles, curling into him as he pulls her closer.

"I love you." He says.

"I love you, too." She replies.

"I promise you that you're safe now, I won't let anything happen to you ever again." Draco says, hugging her tightly. "I'll always protect you, love."

"As will I." She says.

"I'll be there to come to your rescue, Hermione."

"Even after all this time?" She questions.

"Always." He states, firmly.

"My hero." She smiles, falling asleep feeling safe in the arms of her husband, the love of her life.


End file.
